Apparatus for transporting sheet-like products

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting sheet-like products includes a belt conveyor with a flexible conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is driven in a conveying direction at a conveying speed. A takeover conveyor has individually controllable clamps which are arranged one behind the other on a carrying member. The clamps are driven in a rotating direction, and the clamp mouths are directed in the takeover region forward in rotating direction. The products fed to the takeover region are in each case pressed against the conveyor belt by a pressing roller at the free end of the first clamping jaw of the clamp. Since the clamp speed of the clamps is greater than the conveying speed, the following clamp thus catches up with the held product and seizes it at the trailing edge.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for transporting sheet-like products comprising: a continuously circulating belt conveyor having a flexible conveyor belt driven in a conveying direction at a conveying speed for transporting the products;   a takeover conveyor having a rotating carrying member driven in a second rotating direction;   a plurality of individually controllable clamps successively mounted on the carrying member to rotate at a clamp speed, the clamps having a first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw and a clamp mouth defined therebetween;   a takeover region wherein the products are transferred from the conveyor belt to the clamps;   in the takeover region, the clamp speed being greater than the conveying speed, the clamp mouth being directed forward in the conveying direction to seize the products at their trailing end, and the first clamping jaw of the clamps facing the conveyor belt and pressing the product to be seized by a following clamp against the conveyor belt firmly enough to be taken along, in order to convey it further at the conveying speed; and   means disposed on the first clamping jaw for permitting relative movement between the first clamping jaw and the product.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for permitting relative movement comprises a freely rotatably mounted pressing roller mounted on the free end of the first clamping jaw, by which the first clamping jaw presses the printing products against the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising guiding means for supporting the trailing edge of the products, bent on account of the pressing against the conveyor belt, on the side facing away from the conveyor belt and for directing the trailing edge into the clamp mouth. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising compliantly suspended pressing rollers supporting the conveyor belt in the takeover region on the side facing away from the takeover conveyor. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of conveyor belts arranged upstream of the conveyor belt of the belt conveyor forming a conveying nip to feed the products to the conveyor belt, the first clamping jaw of a clamp in each case pressing a product against the conveyor belt before the trailing edge of the product leaves the conveying nip. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the belt conveyor conveys the products spaced apart from one another or in an imbricated formation, in which the trailing edge of the products respectively bears against the following product on the side of the following product facing away from the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrying member comprising a wheel-like structure and is rotatingly driven about its axis, and the clamps are swivel-articulated on the carrying member. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for transporting sheet-like products comprising: a continuously circulating belt conveyor having a flexible conveyor belt driven in a conveying direction at a conveying speed for transporting the products;   a takeover conveyor having a rotating carrying member driven in a second rotating direction;   a plurality of individually controllable clamps successively mounted on the carrying member to rotate at a clamp speed, the clamps having a first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw and a clamp mouth defined therebetween;   a takeover region wherein the products are transferred from the conveyor belt to the clamps;   in the takeover region, the clamp speed being greater than the conveying speed, the clamp mouth being directed forward in the conveying direction to seize the products at their trailing end, and the first clamping jaw facing the conveyor belt and pressing the product to be seized by a following clamp against the conveyor belt firmly enough to be taken along, in order to convey it further at the conveying speed; and   a freely rotatably mounted pressing roller mounted on the first clamping jaw, the pressing permitting relative movement between the first clamping jaw and the product.